Title: The Golden Apples of the Sun
Author: Ray Bradbury
First published March 19, 1953
338 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780380730391 (ISBN10: 0380730391)
Rating: 4.07
Overview
Blood+, Vol. 01 by Asuka Katsura is a thrilling manga series that takes place decades after the events of Blood: The Last Vampire anime film.
Saya Otonashi, an amnesiac high school student living with her adoptive family in Okinawa, is haunted by terrifying nightmares of her past life. But when the powerful and bloodthirsty Chiropterans threaten humanity once again, a mysterious organization called the Red Shield needs Saya’s deadly sword skills and mysterious powers to aid in the fight against these beasts.
As Saya’s abilities begin to awaken and she searches for her lost memories, she and her loved ones are threatened by Chiropteran warriors led by a mysterious leader. Asuka Katsura’s manga series brings to life the original Production I.G./Aniplex feature and delivers heart-pumping action and moments of jarring violence that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Join Saya on her journey to uncover her past and save humanity from the Chiropteran threat in Blood+, Vol. 01.
About the Author
Ray Douglas Bradbury was a prolific American author, born on August 22, 1920 in Waukegan, Illinois. Although he graduated from a Los Angeles high school in 1938, his formal education ended there.
However, he considered himself a “student of life,” spending his days typing away and his nights in the public library. In 1943, he became a full-time writer and contributed numerous short stories to periodicals before publishing a collection of them in 1947.
Bradbury’s reputation as a writer of courage and vision was established with the publication of “The Martian Chronicles” in 1950. This book describes the first attempts of Earth people to conquer and colonize Mars, and the unintended consequences.
His next work, “Fahrenheit 451,” is considered by many to be Bradbury’s masterpiece. It’s a scathing indictment of censorship set in a future world where the written word is forbidden.
In an attempt to salvage their history and culture, a group of rebels memorize entire works of literature and philosophy as their books are burned by the totalitarian state. Bradbury has published more than thirty books, close to 600 short stories, and numerous poems, essays, and plays.
His short stories have appeared in more than 1,000 school curriculum “recommended reading” anthologies.
Bradbury’s work has been included in four Best American Short Story collections. He has been awarded the O.
Henry Memorial Award, the Benjamin Franklin Award, the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America, the PEN Center USA West Lifetime Achievement Award, among others. In November 2000, the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters was conferred upon Mr. Bradbury at the 2000 National Book Awards Ceremony in New York City.
Bradbury’s work extends beyond literature. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and won an Emmy Award.
He adapted sixty-five of his stories for television’s “Ray Bradbury Theater.” He was also the creative consultant on the United States Pavilion at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, and in 1982 he created the interior metaphors for the Spaceship Earth display at Epcot Center, Disney World.
Bradbury was married to his wife Maggie since 1947, and they resided in Los Angeles with their numerous cats. Together, they raised four daughters and had eight grandchildren.
Sadly, Maggie passed away in November of 2003.
On the occasion of his 80th birthday in August 2000, Bradbury expressed his love for writing, “The great fun in my life has been getting up every morning and rushing to the typewriter because some new idea has hit me. The feeling I have every day is very much the same as it was when I was twelve.
In any event, here I am, eighty years old, feeling no different, full of a great sense of joy, and glad for the long life that has been allowed me. I have good plans for the next ten or twenty years, and I hope you’ll come along.”
Editoral Review
The Golden Apples of the Sun by Ray Bradbury is a collection of short stories published on March 19, 1953, and is a must-read for anyone who loves science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Bradbury is known for his evocative and poetic prose, as well as his ability to blend genres and explore the human condition in his stories.
The stories in The Golden Apples of the Sun are wide-ranging in their subject matter, but they are all infused with Bradbury’s trademark sense of wonder and melancholy. From a man who collects dinosaur bones in the future to a group of colonizers who must find a way to survive on a harsh alien world, each tale explores the limitations and possibilities of the human spirit.
One of the standout stories in the collection is “The Fog Horn,” which tells the story of a lighthouse keeper who becomes obsessed with a creature that emerges from the sea. The story explores the depths of loneliness, love, and longing, and it is a haunting and beautiful piece of writing.
Another story that stands out is “The Exiles,” which imagines a world in which classic literary characters are exiled to Mars. This story is a love letter to literature and a meditation on the power of imagination.
While the stories in The Golden Apples of the Sun are not connected by a single narrative thread, they are all united by Bradbury’s unique voice and vision. His stories are full of vivid imagery, deep emotion, and philosophical reflections on the human condition.
One limitation of the collection is that some of the stories feel a bit dated in their attitudes toward gender and race. However, it is important to consider the historical context in which the book was written and to view it as a product of its time.
Overall, The Golden Apples of the Sun is a beautifully written and thought-provoking collection of stories that will transport readers to distant worlds and challenge them to think deeply about the nature of humanity. It is a must-read for fans of science fiction and fantasy, and anyone who loves to be transported by the power of storytelling.
Score: 4.5/5
Target Audience: Fans of science fiction, fantasy, and literary fiction who enjoy thought-provoking stories that explore the human condition.
